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Period: 270,000 BCE to
Prehistoric or Pre-industrial Age (Before 1700s)
People discovered fire, developed paper from plants, and forged weapons and tools with stone, copper and iron. -
2500 BCE
Papyrus in Egypt
Papyrus is a material similar to thick paper used in ancient times as writing surface. It was made from pith of papyrus plant. It was used to designate documents written on its sheets, rolled up to scrolls. These include household and administrative documents, letters, contracts, legal texts, illustrated narratives, and religious texts. *Papyri were important during the Prehistoric Era because they regulated the information and communication of the Egyptians from one another. -
2400 BCE
Clay Tablets in Mesopotamia
Clay tablets were used as a writing medium especially for writing in cuneiform. Its texts took forms of myths, fables, essays, hymns, proverbs, epic poetry, laws, plants, and animals. They allowed individuals to record who and what was significant. This means of communicating was used for over 3000 years in 15 different languages. *They were important because they did not only serve to write daily events, trade, count sheep, cattle, crops, workforce laborers, but also introduced communication. -
206
Dibao in China (2nd Century)
Dibao was a type of publication issued by central and local governments in imperial China. They have been called "palace reports" or "imperial bulletins." Various sources place their first publication as early as Han Dynasty or as late as Tang Dynasty. They contained official announcements and news, and were intended to be seen only by bureaucrats. *Dibao were important because they were used as media for regulation and circulation of government’s official reports and announcements to masses. -
Period: to
Industrial Age (1700s-1930s)
People used the power of steam, developed machine tools, established iron production, and the manufacturing of various products (including books through the printing press). -
Typewriter
Typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical machine for writing characters similar to those produced by printer's movable type. It operates by keys that strike ribbon to transmit ink or carbon impressions onto paper. It allowed people to bring printing press into their own homes. They replaced simple pen and paper in many offices, homes and schools. *Typewriters were important because it initiated the idea of “computer-printer” process in which many types of writings or texts can be made. -
Telephone
Telephone is a telecommunications device that permits users to conduct conversation when they are far apart to be heard directly. It converts human voice into electronic signals transmitted via cables and other communication channels to another telephone which produces the sound to receiving user. It was invented by Alexander Graham Bell. *Telephones were important because they made communication more accessible and two-way, wherein people are in state of exchanging messages to each other. -
Punch Cards
Punch cards or also known as Hollerith cards and IBM cards are paper cards containing several punched or perforated holes that were punched by hand or machine to represent data. These cards allowed companies to store and access information by entering the card into the computer. *Punch cards were important during the Industrial Age because they directly control automated machinery through the digital information stored in them. -
Period: to
Electronic Age (1930s-1980s)
The invention of the transistor ushered in the electronic age. People harnessed the power of transistors that led to the transistor radio, electronic circuits, and the early computers. In this age, long distance communication became more efficient. -
Television
Television is a machine with a screen. It receives broadcast signals and turn them into pictures and sound. It is a telecommunication medium used for transmitting moving images in monochrome (black and white), or in color, and in two or three dimensions and sound. Television is a mass medium for entertainment, education, news, politics, gossip and advertising. *Televisions were important during the Electronic Age because they were used as medium that brought both learning and leisure to people. -
Transistor Radios
Transistor radios are small portable radio receivers that uses transistor-based circuitry. They became the most popular electronic communication device in history, with billions manufactured during the 1960s and 1970s.Their pocket size sparked a change in popular music listening habits, allowing people to listen to music anywhere they went. *Transistor radios were of great use during the Electronic Age because they first introduced music listening habit in an accessible and portable manner. -
Overhead Projector
Overhead projector is a presentation device that projects the enlarged image of writing or drawing on clear or transparent film placed on it onto a wall or screen by means of an overhead mirror. It is a variant of slide projector that is used to display images to an audience. *Overhead projectors were important during the Electronic Age because they were the media to aid in presentations and discussions especially in education and businesses by teachers and businesspersons. -
Search Engine
Web search engine is a software system designed to search for information on World Wide Web. Information may be mix of web pages, images, and other file types. The first search engine created was Archie, created in 1990 by Alan Emtage. The most popular search engines are Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ask.com, and AOL.com. *Search engines are important because they are “workhorses of the World Wide Web” that respond to multiple queries of people every day, making information-seeking easier. -
Web Browser
Web browser is software application for retrieving, presenting and traversing information resources on World Wide Web. The first web browser, World Wide Web, was developed in 1990 by Tim Berners-Lee. The most popular web browsers are Chrome, Edge, Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera and Firefox. *Web browsers are important because they make information become accessible to all people especially those who are seeking information for news, updates, studies, investigations, and researches. -
Period: to
Digital or Information Age (1990s-Present)
The Internet paved the way for faster communication and the creation of the social network. People advanced the use of microelectronics with the invention of personal computers, mobile devices, and wearable technology. Moreover, voice, image, sound, and data are digitalized. We are now living in the information age. -
Blogs
Blog is discussion or informational website published on World Wide Web made up of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries.The first recognized blog was created in 1994 by Justin Hall called “Links.net” though word “blog” was coined in 1999 by Peter Merholz. Most popular blogs are Huffington Post, Business Insider, Mashable and Gizmodo. *Blogs are important because they are used not just to share thoughts, feelings, opinions or experiences but also promote businesses of many companies. -
Social Networks
Social network is a dedicated website or application that enables users to communicate by posting information, comments, messages, images, etc.The first recognizable social media site, Six Degrees, was created in 1997. The most popular social networking sites or apps are Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. *Social networks are important because they make communication even more fun and enjoyable to people while not leaving information and learning behind. -
Smartphones
Smartphone is handheld personal computer with operating system for voice communication. It has features like telephone, digital camera and video camera, GPS navigation, clock, news, etc.The first recognized smartphone, Ericsson R380 Smartphone, was released in 2000. Most popular smartphones are Apple, Samsung, Huawei and etc. *Smartphones are important because almost all of the features of personal computer are stored inside it and it makes information and communication more accessible to all.
